OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse (1997) and HOME OF THE BRAVE by Katherine Applegate (2008) and the 2015 Newbery Award winning THE CROSSOVER by Kwame are three exceptional examples of fiction. That they happen to be verse novels is particularly worthy of praise. I am drawn to this format of narrative fiction and tend to automatically pick up a book if I know it’s free verse. I’m usually not disappointed. This posting is a round-up of some Verse novels that have recently been published. Noteworthy, too, is that these suggestions happen to support the teaching of a tough topic. If you haven’t had the chance to dig into novels written in this poetic style, I suggest trying it. You might like it!
ALIAS ANNA by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson / THE HOLOCAUST
Zhanna (alias Anna) , a young Jewish girl, living in the Ukraine when it was invaded by Germans during World War II is forced to l her entire family when the Nazis force them out of their home. Zhanna has strong musical talent and a promising future as a pianist. When her father bribes a guard, Zhanna is fortunate to take and hide a treasured sheet of Chopin music. This historical fiction title, told in verse, tells the story (one of hundreds) of Jewish children who were forced to give up their names and hide their identities. The author, along with Zhanna’s son, Greg Dawson recount the true, moving story of how two piano prodigies, outplayed their pursuers while hiding in plain sight. Like The Children of Willsesden Lane and Hiding Edith this is a very special story of resilience and perseverance set during the Holocaust.
“I don’t care what you do, just live.” (Zhanna’s father)
AND THEN, BOOM! by Lisa Fipps / POVERTY
In her debut novel, Starfish (2021), Lisa Fipps wrote a powerful story about body shaming and the trials and tribulations of a young adolescent girl dealing with her weight and with bullying. The author’s newest novel is a look into the harsh realities of living in poverty. Whenever she gets ‘the itch’. Joe’s mother abandons her son. He and his grandmother are left to downsize, to pay the bills and use any means to fight hunger. Life for Joe, is filled with unexpected ‘And then…’ moments, especially large one’s that are unexpected BOOM moments which demand that he face challenges, make decisions and solve problems in order to survive from day to day. When life gives you lemons – A death, a storm, starving and the care of stray dogs – it is hard to make lemonade. Joe’s resilience and strong character help him get through life’s “And Then, BOOM” events. “Every story boils down to and thens and BOOMS!/ And -thens and BOOMS, but are all about the moments when something happens that changes everything./ It could be bad. And it could be good but it’s often not.” (p. 5). Joe’s life circumstances often broke my heart but I was compelled to cheer for him because of his humour and hope even when hard days got worse. I absolutely LOVED this novel. I can’t wait for another Lisa Fipps publication.
Excerpt (p. 65)
Hunger is day-in, day-out luck,
creating inside you
an urgent need,
a craving,
a longing
for something you can’t survive or thrive without
and yet
you don’t have it.
Hunger just isn’t about food.
ARE YOU NOBODY TOO? Tina Cane / ASIAN IDENTITY
Eight grader Emily Sofar, a Chinese girl, who had been adopted by a white American couple, is enjoying her life as the only Chinese student at a private middle school. When COVID hits, her father loses his job and she is transferred to I.S. in New York’s Chinatown, and discovers that she is in a community where she looks like everyone else. Emily, however, struggles to fit in and establish friends. She is always looking in herself to figure out who she is and feel comfortable with her past and present circumstances. It is the poetry of Emily Dickinson “I’m nobody! Who are you? Are you – Nobody – too?”) that provides Emily a window and a mirror to her identity. Are You Nobody Too? offers readers a very introspective, reflective character who tries to find a place of belonging (as most adolescents do). The free verse style is especially suitable for this story about the importance of poetry. Encountering words by the lonely Emily Dickinson throughout this book offers a special read for students who enjoy grasping the meaning of poems.
Excerpt (p. 233)
It’s not about being deep she replies It’s about knowing what your needs and feelings are Without that what’s the point of knowing anything at all?
BLACK STAR by Kwame Alexander / BLACK IDENTITY: SEGREGATION
This title is the 2nd book in The Door of No Return trilogy by Kwame Alexander, author extraordinaire. The story takes place during the turbulent segregation era, and the beginning of The Great Migration. In the first book we are introduced to Kofi as a young boy who is kidnapped from from his home in West Africa to be sent off to be a slave. In this sequel, a generation is skipped in Kofi’s life as we meet his spirited granddaughter, Charley, a young girl who is determined to become the first female pitcher to play professional baseball. Her mother, however discourages Charley playing , declaring that she should not play ball because”it is not normal, that getting all sweaty is not elegant, that girls should stay clean, be graceful, play piano or flute”. p. 21). Her lofty dreams are deterred with with tensions that are boiling over in her segregated town. Interspersed throughout the book are Nana Kofi’s stories about courageous ancestors and their crossing over from Africa. Although Charley’s parents try to protect their daughter from dark truths of Black history, Charley is fiercely determined to know more and more about her brave ancestors and not have her “dreams deferred” Readers will cheer for Charley and will likely be engaged with the thrilling poetic narration of the baseball practice with Charley and her friends Cool Willie Green and Sox and the daring challenge of playing a game with a neighbourhood bully. Black Star is another powerful story from a powerful writer.
GRACE NOTES by Karen Comer (YA) /THE ARTS; THE PANDEMIC
This novel was shortlisted for a number of book awards and was the winner the 2024 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book Prize for older readers. It is the story of two teenagers who are each talented and dedicated to their art form, despite the discouragement and lack of support from their parents. Karen Comer presents alternating narratives in free verse style. Grace Dalfinch is passionate about playing the violin and James Crux aspires to be a noteworthy street artist. About halfway through the novel, their lives converge as they find solace and understanding and love with each other. Noteworthy, is the fact that this story is set in 2020 when the Pandemic hit the world. Throughout the novel the author provides facts about the growing number of Corona cases with snippets of postings from citizens who were dealing with the pandemic. Readers will likely recall their own experiences of COVID-19. Teenagers will likely identify with Grace and Crux in their pursuit of their dreams, smothered by the expectations of their parents. Grace Notes was an engaging, relatable read.
LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu (ages 12+) / MENTAL HEALTH; BODY IMAGE
Jake is a thirteen-year-old boy who’s life is full of despair, He is depressed. He has an obsessive-compulsive disorder. He is a boy burdened Anorexia Nervosa. He is wounded by bully taunts “Loser. Wimp Freak.” There is no happiness in his life, other than memories of time spent with his loving grandmother and admiration of Broadway musicals and Emily Dickinson poetry (“I am nobody! /Who are you? Are you. – Nobody – too?”). Jake does not have a healthy relationship with his parents (His mother is also dealing with depression. The voice is an evil character roaring inside Jakes head (“You need to burn off more calories.” “You don’t deserve love and warmth and kindness.” “You – are – repulsive!” “You don’t want to get better.”) Jake writes “I want to erase every single thing about me.” When others notice that Jake is wasting away (literally) he finally he is sent to a psychiatric treatment centre where, Whispering Pines, much of the narrative unfolds. The demonic Voice persists and Jake resists help from other troubled residents and from his therapists. Readers will root for things to get better for Jake and will read on to discover a turning point that will lead this teenager coming to feel worth and to lead a better life.
This book is a punch in the heart. The free verse style is a suitable format for the character to reveal his reflective thoughts. Some pages only have a few words. Some poems are written with one word per line. Some words are written. Many phrases are repeated. Many statements follow a repeated pattern Writers are often advised to ‘write what you know’. In an afterword to the book, the author writes a letter to his readers stating “How do I understand Jake’s inner thinking? How do I understand Jake’s heart so well so deeply? The reality is that many of his thoughts, including his disordered thinking and eating, are passed on my own experiences as a young person. Louder Than Hunger parallels John Schu’s life in many ways makes it all the more harrowing a read. It is courageous, heart-squeezing story and though a tough read, Jake’s/John’s story can open doors and ignite conversations. Any reader with compassionate heart will worry and care aboutJake and want to wrap their arms around him to give assurance and hope. As I read through the book, I became aware of the word ‘heart’ that is sprinkled generously throughout the book. I first encountered librarian and author John Schu at a language conference where he passionately shared favourite book titles with the audience and generously gave books away to individuals asking, “Who’s heart needs this book?” In her brief forward, author Kate DiCamill0 writes that ‘reading Jakes story will change you.” And quoting Mr. Schu, I say “your heart needs this book!
MID-AIR by Alicia D. Williams / DEATH LOSS & REMEMBRANCE
Eighth-grade student Isaiah feels lost. He is struggling with the loss of his best friend Darius who was killed in accident. Isaiah feels guilty for the part he played in the hit and run accident and worried about the dwindling friendship with Drew who he enjoys hanging out with doing wheelies, watching movies and attempts to break Guiness World Records before entering high school. Isiah can’t seem to cope with a lost friend and a fading friend his feelings of grief and the need to forge ahead with honesty and grace. The verse style and use of slang and vocabulary are relatable and well-suited for the reflective stance of this black teenage character.
DEAR MOTHMAN by Robin Gow / DEATH LOSS & REMEMBRANCE / TRANS IDENTITY
Nora / Noah’s best friend, Ella / Lewis, was killed in a car accident Noah is trying to come to terms with the loss. Noah and Lewis understood each other and had much in common, including the fact that they were both Trans. The novel is mostly written as letters to Mothman, Lewis’s favourite cryptid, who may or may not be living in the woods near Noah’s house. Strange appearances convince Noah that Mothman is real and Noah decides to make Mothman the subject of his science fair project and gather as much evidence to prove its existence. When Noah makes friends with three girls, he finally comes to feel that he belongs. Through the extended metaphor of a lonely creature, Robin Gow has created a compelling story about grief, gender issues and acceptance. The journal letters. as well as recounts. of everyday events are presented as free verse (in rather small font) and provide a narrative, and an honest expression of emotions. Dear Mothman and an authentic confessional account of a preteen boy living with autism who is dealing with grief and their queer identity.
Excerpt (p. 157)
Why is being a person so hard sometimes?
I keep getting sad and thinking
“Maybe it would be easier to not have friends at all>”
Then I’m like – no, Noah.
You love your friends.
This is just hard.
RED BIRD DANCED by Dawn Quigley / INDIGENOUS CULTURE
This is a verse novel, presented in alternating voices of a girl named Ariel, passionate about ballet dancing, and her neighbour Tomah, a struggling reader who seems to get by by making others laugh. The two friends live in the city’s Intertribal Housing Complex When Ariel’s Auntie goes missing, Ariel’s dancing suffers and she strives to keep the memory of her missing aunt alive. (“Dancing is how i connect my body and soul to the earth”. Ariel and Tomah carry each other through their sadnesses and struggles. Dawn Quigley, a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe does a brilliant job of unpacking the trials and tribulations of urban Native kids and their connections with those who came before them and their resilience even when bad things go on outside the front door in the city. Quigley masterfully uses the free verse form to illuminate the emotions and stories of two Native citizens. Readers are given insights into the Native culture (e.g. Jingle dancing) but especially come to understand the plight of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (#MM1W) through aunt Binieshinh’s story.Impressive too is the description of bird life that serves as a metaphor for the character’s world views. This book deserves awards.
Excerpt
Life in the housing complex / meant/ family is a / doorstep away. / Life is in/ our relatives/ relatives/ who may not be blood related/ but are like tree/ roots that/ intertwine and hold on / to one another unseen (p. 12)
ULTRAVIOLET by Aida Salazar / TOXIC MASCULINITY
Thirteen year old Elio Solis tries to navigate social media, friendships, his Mexican culture and his changing body. Swimming in his head are his mother’s warnings about toxic masculinity and consent and his father’s warning to ‘man up’. In fact, his father takes him witness a cock fight as well as partake in a community man’s group called ‘Brother’s Rising’ Elio is also experiencing ‘head over heels’ feelings for the beautiful Camilla, so much so that he sees the world as ultraviolet. When Elio’s heart is crushed by the blows of first love, he struggles with the ups and downs of coming of age. Through splendid accessible poetry, sprinkled with Spanish language, Ultraviolet provides a strong perspective and questioning of masculinity.
Excerpt (p. 43)
So does that mean
I’m automatically toxic?
No, not you, but behavior like that could be.
As a boy you have privileges that girls don’t.
It’s what the world gives you
just for being a boy.
That doesn’t seem fair, I shrug.
A WORK IN PROGRESS by Jarrett Lerner / MENTAL HEALTH & BODY IMAGE
When he was in fourth grade, a mean kid tormented Nick Fisher by spitting out the words “Your FAT and Everyone knows it”. The words stuck inside his head for years and now that he’s in middle school, Nick is deeply angry and gfully aware of his body and how others think about how he looks. His friends have abandoned him. He eats lunch alone outside the cafeteria. He overhears mean mean comments said by mean girls. Spoiler: Ast he title suggests: Progress is made (thanks to a new friendship, therapy and gradual self-acceptance). The novel is written in free verse style and is accompanied by graphic images illustrations that put Nick’s tormented feelings into art. Jarret Lerner dedicates this book “For anyone who has ever felt less than.” The author tells the story with full-out honesty and self-reaization and as a wit progressesit is a story of foregiveness, resileince and hope. This is a remarkable book, vital reading for middle age readers who feel ‘less than’ and essential reading for middle age students think about the progress needed to move forward by o accepting their identities as they move through the complexities of adolescenthood (and what middle age student doesn’t ask themselves about who they are and who they are becoming)? This is essential reading to think about body image and mental health issues. Highly recommended.
Excerpt (pages 86-87)
I eat/ and eat/ and eat./ More/ and more/ and more. And chewing/ and swallowing/ and chewing/ some more more/ there are moments –
brief/ beautiful/ blissful moments/ – when I forget who I am/ what I am/ that I am / at all.